The apparatus of the present invention relates to apparatus which breaks and separates usable leafy portions of vegetable material from the unusable portions such as stems and twigs. Today, numerous herbs, tobaccos and other forms of vegetable material may be purchased in a rough or fresh picked form. Also, home gardening has become very popular and numerous herbs and vegetables are grown by individuals in home or patio gardens.
Both rough form purchased herbs and fresh picked homegrown herbs generally are not in condition for immediate use because the usable leafy portions of the herbs are still attached or intermixed with twigs, seeds and the like. The leafy portions of the herbs may be separated from the stems and twigs either by hand or by use of a mechanical separating apparatus.
A separating apparatus suitable for use with herbs is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,729,096. The apparatus disclosed in this patent, however, has proven inadequate in several aspects. The slatted separating container is rotated manually and hence has a limited rotational speed. Also, the slats and agitation ball of this apparatus provide insufficient agitation of some herbs.